Selecting and Using Laundry Aids
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Selecting and Using 750 ^^ ORCGON STATE UNIVERSTTY Laundry Aids '^ EXTENSION SERVICE A. W. Koester laundry aids include such products Las prewash agents, enzyme presoak agents, water softeners, sanitizers, detergent This publication is one of a set boosters, bleaches, bluing, and fabric softeners. Some detergents include written to help consumers select enzymes, oxygen bleaches, and fabric DATE. softeners to save time for the consumer. and care for today's clothing. The brands listed as examples are Three of the publications—fibers nationally advertised. You will also find locally available brands, store brands (called private OF and fabrics; information found labels), and generic brands. The mention of commercial brands does not constitute on garment labels; and dyeing endorsement, nor should exclusion of a and colorfastness—aid consum- product be interpreted as criticism.OUT ers in evaluating clothing and Prewash agents household textiles. Those on Prewash agents remove greaseIS and oily soil, but cannot remove all stains. Use them to laundry aids and laundry treat a small area such as a collar or cuffs detergents and soaps help without treating the whole garment. They * TODAY'S CLOTHING CARE may contain an organic solvent, a surfactant, consumers choose effective or both. You can use a paste of enzyme and water Petroleum solvents are the most effective cleaning products. The publica- on small areas. But since skin is a protein, it in removing oily soil. Theyinformation: must be sold in is sensitive to protein enzymes, so protect tion on professional clothing aerosol containers because they evaporate your hands from contact with the enzyme readily. Pump containers usually contain paste by wearing rubber gloves and using a care services discusses working surfactants. They are used to remove soil spoon or old toothbrush to apply it. that is a combination of oily soil and particles. Because enzymes work slowly, soaking with a dry cleaner. To use prewash agents, apply them to the allows the time necessary for action. Enzyme soiled area, then wash your laundry with the presoaks work best in warm water and hottest water allowable for the fabric. Use should not be used with chlorine bleach thecurrent full amount of detergent recommended, because it deactivates the enzymes. PUBLICATIONand be sure the washer is not overloaded. Common brands include Amway, Axion, and Some well-known brands include Clorox Biz. PreWash, Easy Wash, Grease Relief, Shout (aerosol or pump), and Spray 'n Wash (aerosol or pump). Water softeners most Water softeners improve the cleaning action THIS of detergents in "hard" water by reducing Enzyme presoak agents calcium and magnesium minerals. Many Enzyme presoak agents contain enzymes detergents contain water softening ingredi- For that break down certain stains which can then ents referred to as "builders." If your water be more readily removed by the laundry is medium hard, add more detergent than the process. They remove protein-based stains amount recommended on the package. If http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalogsuch as body soil, perspiration, blood, egg, and baby formula; starch-based stains such as cereal; and some ground-in soil such as grass stains. However, they cannot remove EC 1284 Ardis W. Koester, Extension textiles and clothing all stains, especially oily or greasy ones. specialist, Oregon State University. Reprinted May 1993 2 TODAY'S CLOTHING CARE your water is very hard, use a water softener Chlorine bleach along with the detergent. The advertising Chlorine bleach is used to disinfect and pages of your telephone directory may list whiten laundry economically. You can use it laboratories that test water for hardness. on washable, colorfast, natural fiber fabrics There are two types of water softeners: such as cotton and linen, but repeated use nonprecipitating and precipitating. can weakenDATE. cotton and linen and incorrect Nonprecipitating water softeners leave the direct use can cause holes. It is safe for water clear; they keep rusty water from washable, colorfast manufactured fibers staining clothing and are strong enough to except spandex. Do not use it on silk, wool, dissolve soap curd. You can use them as a OFmohair, or leather. Also, some permanent presoak to remove discoloration caused by press fabrics have a finish that holds chlorine soap curd. Some well-known brands of and becomes yellowed when chlorine bleach nonprecipitating softeners include Calgon and is used. Chlorine bleach decreases the White King. effectiveness of flame-retardant finishes, so Precipitating softeners form aOUT cloudy be sure to read and follow permanent care precipitate that is visible in the water and labels. Brands of liquid chlorine bleach may cling to fabrics. A common brand of include Clorox and Purex; one brand of dry precipitating softeners isIS Arm & Hammer bleach is Lysol Laundry Sanitizer. Washing Soda. You can test fabrics for bleach safety by applying one drop of test solution (1 Laundry sanitizers tablespoon of chlorine bleach and Vi cup Use laundry sanitizers to disinfect clothing water) to an inconspicuous part of the and household linens when there is an garment like a seam allowance or inside hem. infection or illness in the family. It's also a Let stand for 1 minute, then blot dry and look good idea to use theminformation: for washing clothes in for color change. a coin-operated laundromat. Chlorine bleach Use chlorine bleach safely and properly. and pine oils are the most commonly available Dilute bleach with at least 1 quart of water sanitizers. Use pine oil on garments labeled before pouring it into the washer to reduce "Only non-chlorine bleach when needed" or fabric damage. Add diluted chlorine bleach "No bleach." Pine oil brands include Pine Sol, about 5 to 6 minutes after the wash cycle has Real Pine, Lysol Pine Action, Spic & Span started so it does not decrease the Pine. effectiveness of the detergent. Chlorine current bleach deactivates enzymes and decomposes PUBLICATION the fluorescent whitening agents. Do not use Detergent boosters it if the water contains iron, because the Detergent boosters help maintain whiteness problem of yellowing increases, and do not or brightness of laundry. Liquid detergent mix chlorine bleach with ammonia because boosters may also aid stain removal. Brands the mix could cause toxic fumes. most of detergent boosters include Arm & THIS Hammer Washing Soda, Borateem Plus, and For 20 Mule Team Borax. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog Oxygen bleach There are several types of rinse-added and Oxygen bleaches are for light-duty bleaching dryer-added fabric softeners. By industry and for times when you cannot use chlorine agreement, the concentrated rinse-added bleach, e.g., when the water contains iron. fabric softeners are blue liquids, and the These bleaches are safe to use on all fibers prediluted ones are pink. To prevent and finishes to help maintain whiteness and greasy-lookingDATE. spots, dilute concentrated brightness of colors. Because oxygen rinse-added fabric softener before adding it bleaches are weaker than chlorine bleach, to the water. Automatic washers with a they work best in hot water (above 140° F) or fabric softener dispenser dilute and add the with soaking for an hour or more. Common OFfabric softener into the final rinse. Rinse- brands of liquid oxygen bleach include Liquid added fabric softeners include Downy Clorox 2 (hydrogen peroxide), and Vivid. Regular, Downy Triple Concentrate, Some brands of dry oxygen bleach are Snuggle, Sta Puff, and Sta Puff Concentrate. Borateem Bleach, Clorox 2, Purex All Dryer-added softeners are less likely to Fabric. stain fabrics containing manufactured fibers if OUT you use a low heat setting and a medium-sized, rather than small, load. If Bluing IS stains occur, you can remove them by Bluing whitens clothing by coloring it a faint wetting the area and rubbing the stain with blue, which counteracts the yellowing of bar soap. Some dryer-added fabric softener many fabrics. Because bluing acts as a dye, it brands are Bounce Scented, Bounce should be diluted before adding it to the final Unscented, Cling Free, Free 'n Soft, rinse. Some detergents contain bluing. A Snuggle, and Toss 'n Soft. common brand is Mrs. Stewart's. There is a trend toward adding fabric softeners to laundry detergents. In 1986,17 information:percent of heavy-duty powdered detergents Fabric softeners and 13 percent of heavy-duty liquid Fabric softeners promote smoothness, detergents contained fabric softeners. reduce wrinkling and static cling, and Detergent/fabric softener combinations give increase flexibility. However, they also less effective cleaning and softening than do reduce absorbency, especially if used separate products, partly because fluores- excessively, and decrease detergent cleaning cent whiteners lose effectiveness in power if used in the wash cycle. On towels detergents when a fabric softener is present. wherecurrent absorbency is desired, use a fabric However, the combined product is a time PUBLICATIONsoftener no more frequently than every three saver for busy people and is easy for children to four launderings. Don't use fabric to use when they're learning about softeners with bluing, starches, or packaged laundering. water softeners, and don't use them on most heavily soiled clothing. THIS For http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog TODAY'S CLOTHING CARE For more information You also may call Agricultural Communi- Procter & Gamble Educational Services. cations at Oregon State University, (503) (1986). The How To Clean Handbook: 737-2513, to leam the availability and cur- Making Easier Work of Laundering, rent price of the publications. Cleaning and Dishwashing. Cincinnati, OH. EC 1279,DATE. Garment Labels: The Consumer's "Laundry Boosters." (1980). Consumer Information Source. $1.00 Reports, 45 (2), 76-77. EC 1280, Today's Clothing Care: Dyeing Learning About Laundry Products. (1978). OFand Colorfastness in Fabrics. $1.00 Forecast for Home Economics, 24, (2), EC 1281, Today's Clothing Care: Fibers 58. and Fabrics Update.